


Morning Routine

by scp116



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Affection, BDSM, Coffee, Dom/sub Undertones, Dubious Consent, Hair-pulling, M/M, Mentions of poisoning, Whumpuary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:35:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29224062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scp116/pseuds/scp116
Summary: Every morning was the same. He got Jack's coffee, tasted it to check for poison, and handed it off to the man- anticipation and dread weighing on his shoulders.*Whumpuary Prompt used, not participating in Whumpuary!*
Relationships: Handsome Jack/Rhys (Borderlands)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	Morning Routine

Jack took the coffee offered from Rhys- the coffee he had every day, from the machine in the lobby, brewed and poured directly from his trustworthy PA. He took the warm cup in his hand and peered inside, eyebrows furrowing as his other hand on the keyboard slowed and stopped. Rhys gripped his clipboard, tensing and running his thumbs over the paper. Some kind of financial report, Rhys had forgotten and stopped caring once Jack took the coffee from him. In his time working as Jack's PA for the past four years, giving Jack his morning coffee had gone the exact same way. It never changed or stopped, not even when Jack started feeling him up after hours. Then during work, then in the middle of meetings, and it had been about three years now since Jack made Rhys suck him off under the table at a vendor presentation, where everyone politely pretended they didn't know what was happening. He'd appreciated it at the time.

But it never seemed to change. Rhys would come in already tired, anticipation weighing him into the ground as he poured Jack's coffee. Black, as he liked it, Rhys taking a sip before bringing it in in case somebody tried to poison the machine itself. He'd bring it in, hand it to Jack, and brace for impact when he-

Jack snorted softly and downed half the cup, setting it down and reaching up to take Rhys' tie. He yanked hard, pulling Rhys in to fall on his knees, his clipboard clattering to the ground as Jack's grip held him to the floor. Rhys looked up, chewing anxiously on his lip, tears starting to brim in his eyes as Jack tugged him closer. He had no choice but to crawl forward towards the man on all fours, Jack yanking harder every second it took him. When he reached his place on the ground beside Jack, he felt a large hand on the back of his head, pressing his cheek to Jack's outer thigh. Warm fingers curled into his hair and scratched softly as Jack looked back up to his monitor, reaching for the mouse to resume his work.

It wasn't so bad, if he was honest. Degrading, sure, but so was working for Jack, with his constant insults and condescension. Jack had done worse things to him by far, things he feared to share or repeat- so sitting by his feet to be pet like a dog for a few hours of the day wasn't so bad. His knees started to hurt, sure, and he got awfully sleepy sitting there next to the heater. But it was better than anything that could happen if he tried to rise before Jack ordered lunch. The first few times, he tried to. When he was still figuring out his boundaries- what Jack would let him do, what he had to let Jack do. The first time he tried to get up, Jack pinned him to the ground and fucked him dry. The second time, he broke Rhys' cybernetic eye on the corner of his desk. He paid to replace it, but it still hurt like _hell_. It wasn't his favorite thing, but it was worth it to just sit by Jack's side for a bit before he got to work. Between the sex and the rest of Jack's abuses, it wasn't so bad to just let Jack stroke his hair and scratch his head for a while. If that was what Jack wanted to do, so be it.

He hated how much he didn't mind it. Lying there on Jack's thigh, eyes falling shut, settling onto the floor and feeling Jack gently scratch at his head. It just went to prove that he could be gentle, if he wanted. He knew how to be kind to Rhys. He could be Rhys' lover, if he wanted to- they could go on actual dates, or even kiss. Maybe that's all this was meant to be. A cruel reminder that Jack _chose_ to be cruel to Rhys. He knew the buttons to push to make Rhys fall in love- and didn't do it.

Rhys might have cried about it, if he was younger. If he was still twenty two, still believed in Jack. But he wasn't twenty two any more. He wasn't a worthless kid swooning over an unattainable man anymore, he had everything Jack had to offer. Even if love wasn't part of that package. But if this was the closest Jack could get to love, he would take it. He didn't have much of a choice with Jack, but to sit quietly and accept his twisted affections.

Hours went by. Rhys had sat quietly, like Jack wanted him to, eyes falling shut and occasionally nuzzling against Jack's thigh. Lunch grew near, which was usually when Rhys could get up and get to work. He put a hesitant hand on Jack's thigh, shifting and bracing against the older man to rise, as Jack usually let himself be used as a support. Jack jerked away from his computer with a furious expression, hand shooting out to grab Rhys' hair and yank him back down to the ground. He huffed, setting his boot in Rhys' lap to keep him there, muttering threats under his breath as he turned back to the monitor. Rhys could only sit stunned, confused, rubbing at his head where Jack yanked on his hair. Jack was the worst bastard he'd ever met. The worst son of a bitch _anyone_ met, leaving a sour taste in the mouth of everyone who's path he crossed. But Rhys hoped beyond hope that Jack might change. He'd hoped for years.

As Jack resumed his deceptively gentle touches, Rhys stared a thousand miles away into the floor, tilting his head to rest again on Jack's thigh.

“ _I can't take this anymore.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Check me out on Tumblr at scp116, leave a comment if you're so inclined c:


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